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“Special delivery from my grandparents.” Olivia held up a tray of coffees. She set it on the bedside table and then handed one to Cole. “They stopped by to visit, but you were getting dressed. They’ll come again after running some errands.”
He took the coffee and drank. The rich brew instantly brightened his day. “Bless your grandparents. This was exactly what I needed.”
Willie and Alyssa had come every day to see him. They’d brought food, changes of clothes, and asked their church friends to pray for him. They’d opened their home to Nana. She was currently sleeping in their guest room at night. They’d even arranged for home cooked meals to be delivered to the task force working the case. Cole could not imagine a more warm and generous couple.
“One of those is for me, right?” Jackson wiggled his eyebrows.
Olivia smiled. “Of course.” She handed him a coffee. “One double-shot caramel macchiato with an extra dose of sugar.”
Jackson kissed her cheek. “You’re a doll.”
The affection was brotherly, and although there was no logical reason to be jealous, Cole still felt a bolt of resentment shoot through him. Jackson’s interactions with Olivia were effortless, while he felt like he was walking on eggshells. A prison of his own making. Cole wasn’t sure he was ready to face how deep his feelings for Olivia were.
Nana studied him from the chair next to the bed. Her knitting needles flowed without missing a stitch, but he felt the weight of her assessment. Cole ignored her pointed look and took another sip of his coffee. “The doctor says I’ll be released this afternoon.”
Olivia’s smile widened. “That’s great news.” Her expression was filled with so much warmth it made his chest ache. “My grandparents told me you are more than welcome to stay with them for a while. Just until you’re back on your feet and have better use of your arm.”
“That sounds like an excellent idea.” Nana’s knitting needles clacked. “We accept.”
“Nana…” Cole stared, trying to convey everything he wanted to say with just a look.
This time, she ignored him. “It makes common sense, Cole. You need rest and you’ll have to do a follow-up visit with the doctor in a few days anyway. Not to mention you have your truck to handle. It won’t hurt to accept the Leightons’ generous offer of hospitality.”
She was right, but Cole worried that more time with Olivia would simply make it impossible to leave. And he wasn’t certain he could stay. There were so many considerations, first and foremost, her wellbeing.
Was he destined to follow in his parents' footsteps? To make their mistakes? He hadn’t had the ability to sort any of that out, and the last thing Cole wanted was to lead Olivia on.
A knock interrupted their conversation. Cole turned just as Eli and Chief Sims entered. Both men looked exhausted. Eli’s chin was peppered with a five-o'clock shadow and the chief’s clothes were rumpled. It looked like they’d been up for hours, even though it was eight a.m.
“Sorry to disturb you folks.” Chief Sims lifted his cowboy hat in greeting to Olivia and then Nana before turning to Cole. “We’ve got an update on the case to discuss with you and Olivia, if you don’t mind.”
“Nana, why don’t you and I get some breakfast in the cafeteria?” Jackson offered his arm to the older woman and escorted her from the room. He closed the door behind them.
Olivia came to stand next to Cole. He instantly took her hand in a gesture of support. Her muscles were stiff, but they relaxed at his touch. She interlaced their fingers.
“We’ve got good news and bad news.” Chief Sims settled one hand on his duty belt. The leather creaked. “The good news is that the man who attacked you in the woods has been identified as Bryce McDonnell. He’s got a rap sheet going back to his teen years that includes stalking and harassing women. In early 2001, he was charged with the murder of a woman in Magnolia and did twenty-three years in prison. He was released two months ago.”
Astonished, Cole arched his brows. “That’s the good news?”
“Yeah. The bad news is that he lawyered up and is refusing to talk. His bond request was denied seeing as we caught him actually attacking Olivia, so he’ll be rotting away in jail until the trial.” The chief focused on Olivia and his expression grew sympathetic. “Unless he makes a deal with the prosecutor, you’ll have to testify.”
“I’ll do whatever is necessary to make sure justice is served.” Her gaze skipped to Eli. “Is Bryce connected to Justin?”
“We’re still tracking that down. The men were in prison together and housed in the same unit, so we know they crossed paths. We can’t confirm that Justin hired Bryce to stalk you though.”
“It appears he was working alone however,” Chief Sims added. “We’ve been through his cell phone and tracked his movements since he came to Serenity. There’s no sign Bryce had a partner. He’s solely responsible for the notes, the break-ins at your house, and all the attacks.”
Cole frowned. “How do you explain the stolen jewelry?”
The chief shrugged. “Bryce needed cash. He was staying at a cheap motel about an hour away and the rent was due.”
That made sense, but something about this felt too neatly tied up. “How did he always know where to find Olivia? I never spotted him following us. Plus, the stalker knew a lot about Serenity. Which stores had cameras and so forth. How did Bryce manage that? Does he have a tie to someone in town?”
“Not that we’ve uncovered, but Bryce got very good at stalking. He’s been doing it for a long time, and after getting caught for murder, I’m sure he learned a few more tricks from the other prisoners in jail.” The chief rocked back on his heels. “We’ll continue to work the case, but I think it’s safe to say this is all over.”
“Well, that’s a relief.” Olivia breathed out.
Chief Sims nodded. “I’m sure it is.” He opened the tablet in his hand. “I’ve written up your statement, Olivia. Would you mind reviewing it? I’ll also need your signature.”
